Washington, DC bar
August 21, 2002 8:35 AM Subscribe
Washington, DC bar officially enters Guinness Book of World Records with 'the largest selection of commercially available beers' (1,072).
Look over the list (from December 2001). Any hidden gems or missing favorites?
I go there almost every week, that place ROCKS. Out of the complete list there are about only 50 that are out at any one time., it's a great place to try out what the worlds best beer taste like!
posted by omidius at 8:40 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by omidius at 8:40 AM on August 21, 2002
WOO!!! Go Brickskeller!
My favorite beer there is the Dirty Dick Ale. Mostly because of the name.
posted by jennak at 8:41 AM on August 21, 2002
My favorite beer there is the Dirty Dick Ale. Mostly because of the name.
posted by jennak at 8:41 AM on August 21, 2002
There's a small chain up here in NE Ohio called the Winking Lizard. Every year they have their World Tour of Beers - here's the list for this year. I live right down the street from a Lizard, and I've always appreciated their beer list. But now... hoo boy, maybe I should move to DC!
posted by starvingartist at 8:43 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by starvingartist at 8:43 AM on August 21, 2002
Yeah, Brickskeller really does kick ass. Good atmosphere, GREAT jukebox, and all that beer....
except, as stated above....
Its important to realize they don't really have all that beer. More like, the beer on their menu is ultimate collection of potential beer, any beer available is just a very small subset, but it's still great fun.
posted by pjgulliver at 8:49 AM on August 21, 2002
except, as stated above....
Its important to realize they don't really have all that beer. More like, the beer on their menu is ultimate collection of potential beer, any beer available is just a very small subset, but it's still great fun.
posted by pjgulliver at 8:49 AM on August 21, 2002
"DOUGH... the stuff... that buys me beer...
RAY..... the guy that sells me beer...
ME...... the guy... who drinks the beer,
FAR..... the distance to my beer
SO...... I think I'll have a beer...
LA...... La la la la la la beer
TEA..... no thanks, I'm drinking beer...
That will bring us back to..."
...the Brikskeller. Cool place - been there a time or two. Let's see, if you tried three a night, three nights a week, to sample them all would take you...2 years 4 months. Doh!
posted by gottabefunky at 8:50 AM on August 21, 2002
RAY..... the guy that sells me beer...
ME...... the guy... who drinks the beer,
FAR..... the distance to my beer
SO...... I think I'll have a beer...
LA...... La la la la la la beer
TEA..... no thanks, I'm drinking beer...
That will bring us back to..."
...the Brikskeller. Cool place - been there a time or two. Let's see, if you tried three a night, three nights a week, to sample them all would take you...2 years 4 months. Doh!
posted by gottabefunky at 8:50 AM on August 21, 2002
They're missing Penn Pilsner, too.
Which has to be one of the best beers on the planet I've ever had.
Anyone in Pennsylvania want to ship me a few cases?
posted by rich at 8:50 AM on August 21, 2002
Which has to be one of the best beers on the planet I've ever had.
Anyone in Pennsylvania want to ship me a few cases?
posted by rich at 8:50 AM on August 21, 2002
Never mind. They don't have Pike XXXXX Stout (scroll down), the best goddamn American stout I've had so far.
posted by starvingartist at 8:52 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by starvingartist at 8:52 AM on August 21, 2002
Eh, fresh beer is better than a infinite selection of probably-not-its-freshest-who-knows-how-long-its-been-there beer. Support your local brewpub.
posted by goethean at 8:55 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by goethean at 8:55 AM on August 21, 2002
I guess I'll be considered uncouth, but where is the PBR?
posted by puddsharp at 8:56 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by puddsharp at 8:56 AM on August 21, 2002
jammer, That's the first thing I thought too! They really missed a jem there.
posted by Blake at 8:59 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by Blake at 8:59 AM on August 21, 2002
I am suprised not to see Samiclaus !
Samichlaus beer is brewed only once in the year, on 06 December, in order to store thereafter 10 months in the barrel. Altogether only approx. 100 pallets are delivered each year. Until 1997 Samichlaus beer was brewed by the brewery Huerlimans in Switzerland.
And it will put you on that ass! Seek it out!
posted by puddsharp at 9:03 AM on August 21, 2002
Samichlaus beer is brewed only once in the year, on 06 December, in order to store thereafter 10 months in the barrel. Altogether only approx. 100 pallets are delivered each year. Until 1997 Samichlaus beer was brewed by the brewery Huerlimans in Switzerland.
And it will put you on that ass! Seek it out!
posted by puddsharp at 9:03 AM on August 21, 2002
Eh, fresh beer is better than a infinite selection of probably-not-its-freshest-who-knows-how-long-its-been-there beer. Support your local brewpub.
I would normally agree with you, but Brickskeller is this homey, rather gawdy, dark brick-covered den. You get a table into which you and a gaggle of friend cram into, and then you just go down the list and pick a random beer to sample. Some people try the "just open a page and put your finger down and order that beer" approach. Others try the "eeny-meenie-miney-mo" approach. Some order based on country, or perhaps they decide upon a beer because of its unusual name.
It's a superfriendly place, and I have tons of fond memories there. It's locally owned, so I feel good about supporting a great local business. And they do order beers from local microbreweries, so you can go to Brickskeller and support both!
posted by jennak at 9:03 AM on August 21, 2002
I would normally agree with you, but Brickskeller is this homey, rather gawdy, dark brick-covered den. You get a table into which you and a gaggle of friend cram into, and then you just go down the list and pick a random beer to sample. Some people try the "just open a page and put your finger down and order that beer" approach. Others try the "eeny-meenie-miney-mo" approach. Some order based on country, or perhaps they decide upon a beer because of its unusual name.
It's a superfriendly place, and I have tons of fond memories there. It's locally owned, so I feel good about supporting a great local business. And they do order beers from local microbreweries, so you can go to Brickskeller and support both!
posted by jennak at 9:03 AM on August 21, 2002
Their Belgian beer selection is sort of weak: No Leffe Brown, Blonde, Trippel, or Radieuse (I like my beer at 8% thank you very much), no Dentergems Wit, no Rodenbach, nor do they have one of the rarest of all beers: Hoegaarden Grand Cru (not regular Hoegaarden, and if anyone knows where I can get some stateside...)
posted by panopticon at 9:12 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by panopticon at 9:12 AM on August 21, 2002
Two things to note for all those citing beers not on the Brickskeller list: for one, the menu isn't permanent - they bring in new brands all the time, and drop others, so what's there now may not be there in a month, and what you'd like to see but isn't may be there soon. Second, they've got a lot of beers not listed - either because the menu isn't updated quickly enough or they just like to keep things under the table. My friends and I found this to be true with Carlsberg Elephant Red, which they never listed but seemed to always have in stock. So ... just ask.
posted by risenc at 9:13 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by risenc at 9:13 AM on August 21, 2002
No Le Coq Imperial Stout? Pffft.
There's a place here in Brooklyn with 130+ beers on hand at a time, including 30 taps, over 100 bottles, and 4 hand-drawn beer engines for traditional ales. Nice. Plus, it's about two blocks from me, so I have a special affection for it.
posted by The Michael The at 9:13 AM on August 21, 2002
There's a place here in Brooklyn with 130+ beers on hand at a time, including 30 taps, over 100 bottles, and 4 hand-drawn beer engines for traditional ales. Nice. Plus, it's about two blocks from me, so I have a special affection for it.
posted by The Michael The at 9:13 AM on August 21, 2002
A dearth of Canadian beers, namely anything by Sleemans or Upper Canada (who owns Sleemans).
posted by insomnyuk at 9:18 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by insomnyuk at 9:18 AM on August 21, 2002
Oh where to start?? As I'm in Dublin, how about with a pint of Oyster stout. Imagine crossing Guinness with oysters and you're almost there - delicious, and a bit of an aphrodisiac too. Or maybe that was just the beer goggles......
posted by Doozer at 9:23 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by Doozer at 9:23 AM on August 21, 2002
Ah, the Brickskellar was the very first bar I ever entered, and I still have the empty from the bottle of cider I ordered on that auspicious occasion. Even if you don't like beer, go for the Pierogis and Buffalo Burgers!
posted by IPLawyer at 9:28 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by IPLawyer at 9:28 AM on August 21, 2002
Out of the complete list there are about only 50 that are out at any one time
Yeah, but those are always the ones I try to order!
Mmmm. Heather Ale
Best thing about the Brickskeller (okay, second best, after the beer list) is that it's within walking distance of home.
posted by jburka at 9:38 AM on August 21, 2002
Yeah, but those are always the ones I try to order!
Mmmm. Heather Ale
Best thing about the Brickskeller (okay, second best, after the beer list) is that it's within walking distance of home.
posted by jburka at 9:38 AM on August 21, 2002
Hmph, no Tucher products at all. Great wheat brews, if you haven't tried them.
posted by Oops at 9:49 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by Oops at 9:49 AM on August 21, 2002
?1/4?\k, I think Sleemans is the one that owns Upper Canada. The bought them out in a rather hostile takeover bid a few years ago in order to become Canada's 3rd largest brewery. One of my favourites though is Steam Whistle (I think they might be at steamwhistle.ca), produced by two of the former Upper Canada guys. Apparently they vowed to stay under the radar of guys like Sleemans from now on, and so produce their pilsner, microbrew style, from the old VIA-rail roundhouse in downtown Toronto. It comes in classy 1940s-era green bottles and his delivered around town in refurbished classic pick-up trucks. It's a nice pilsner, too.
posted by UncleDave at 10:02 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by UncleDave at 10:02 AM on August 21, 2002
Eh, fresh beer is better than a infinite selection of probably-not-its-freshest-who-knows-how-long- its-been-there beer. Support your local brewpub.
This is exactly right. The bottom 25% of those beers I wouldn't touch with a yard glass. Probably the lowest selling beer gets purchased once a week or less. That means the next person to order will be getting beer that has BEEN SITTING IN THE BEER LINE for God knows how long.
I love good places, and I love good selections, but beer is delicate and tempermental for the most part and my experience is that the more beers a place carries the less they tend to care about any given one.
posted by vito90 at 10:02 AM on August 21, 2002
This is exactly right. The bottom 25% of those beers I wouldn't touch with a yard glass. Probably the lowest selling beer gets purchased once a week or less. That means the next person to order will be getting beer that has BEEN SITTING IN THE BEER LINE for God knows how long.
I love good places, and I love good selections, but beer is delicate and tempermental for the most part and my experience is that the more beers a place carries the less they tend to care about any given one.
posted by vito90 at 10:02 AM on August 21, 2002
Very few Portland beers. No Oregon Blonde, Portland Blue Heron IPA, Red Hook Blonde, Pbbbt. And no Fat Tire. They do have Asahi, though.
Thumbs down.
posted by SpecialK at 10:10 AM on August 21, 2002
Thumbs down.
posted by SpecialK at 10:10 AM on August 21, 2002
Also spiffy is their display collection of limited edition beer cans. I like to peruse the Iron City cans from the seventies celebrating the mighty Steelers...
posted by mookieproof at 10:14 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by mookieproof at 10:14 AM on August 21, 2002
I love the Brickskeller. It's one of the things I miss the most about the DC area.
I was there with some friends once, and I spotted a cutie across the room. I asked the waiter for a recommendation for a beer to send to her, and he suggested Old Thumper (boy, no subtext there). No date for me. But I love the Brickskeller all the same.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:16 AM on August 21, 2002
I was there with some friends once, and I spotted a cutie across the room. I asked the waiter for a recommendation for a beer to send to her, and he suggested Old Thumper (boy, no subtext there). No date for me. But I love the Brickskeller all the same.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:16 AM on August 21, 2002
"*sigh*, no moose drool or scape goat."
I was going to post the same, dolface. I had a couple of Moose Drools last night.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:23 AM on August 21, 2002
I was going to post the same, dolface. I had a couple of Moose Drools last night.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:23 AM on August 21, 2002
Unless it's talking about bars only, Guinness might want to do a re-count. Shangy's beer distributor in Emmaus, Pa., boasts up 3,000 different beers. Unfortunately due to state law, it's available only by the case.
posted by sixpack at 10:27 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by sixpack at 10:27 AM on August 21, 2002
Oops! You're right UncleDave, Sleemans owns Upper Canada, in the financial sense. I got that mixed up.
Although, in terms of quality, I think Upper Canada 'owns' Sleemans :)
posted by insomnyuk at 10:28 AM on August 21, 2002
Although, in terms of quality, I think Upper Canada 'owns' Sleemans :)
posted by insomnyuk at 10:28 AM on August 21, 2002
Missing favourites: Big Rock and Hogtown Hemp Beer. (Both Canadian)
posted by Bernese Mountain Dog at 10:29 AM on August 21, 2002
posted by Bernese Mountain Dog at 10:29 AM on August 21, 2002
At the risk of continuing the 'name our favourite beer' theme - can't believe they don't have Black Sheep Ale (UK) - quite possibly the finest beer in the world.
Will have to pay a visit next time I happen to be in DC.
posted by edh at 10:58 AM on August 21, 2002
Will have to pay a visit next time I happen to be in DC.
posted by edh at 10:58 AM on August 21, 2002
They're also missing Gambrinus; One of the most popular beers in the Czech Republic, and my favorite beer in Europe.
posted by fengshui at 1:00 PM on August 21, 2002
posted by fengshui at 1:00 PM on August 21, 2002
Ive made my own beer. Its like dinner put in a blender and left out to rot for 8 weeks. Now I only drink beer made with all-natural ingredients according to the Reinheitsgebot, the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516. Natty Boh works too.
posted by stbalbach at 5:27 PM on August 21, 2002
posted by stbalbach at 5:27 PM on August 21, 2002
In LA, there's a set of bars that claim to have the "most beers on tap". They're put to shame by Summit Brewing / Taco Mac in Atlanta, that regularly have 100-300 different beers on tap at any given time. (it's not the most taps that count, but the most different beers).
http://www.summits-online.com/03_cumming/drinks.html
posted by aaaaa at 10:47 PM on August 21, 2002
http://www.summits-online.com/03_cumming/drinks.html
posted by aaaaa at 10:47 PM on August 21, 2002
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